The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-02-20


-0ther Things
From our Special Correspondent
RALEIGH, N. C. Feb. II, 1887.
Aessrs. Editors =
Mr.. EWart has introduced new bill tc
create railway commission. Itprovidel
that the question shall be submitted to 6
vote of the people of the State the frs
Tuesday in August, 1887; regulates the
machinery under which said election is
to be- held. If majority of the votes are
cast in favor of the commission the latter
is. to be at once established. The Gov
erner shall appoint three commissioners
to hold Office until the first Monday in
February, 1889, one of whom must be Of
different political paf than the
appointing power. The salary of each 10
be So, 100, to be paid from the State treas
ury. A clerk to be allowed the commits
sion, at the salary of ST. 200. The sections
prescribing the duties of the commission
ers are practically the same as those in
the bill which was discussed last week.
Section 5, which was considered harsh
provision, is modified by proviso, "that
in fixing all rules and regulations as to
freights and passenger tariffs the COM
missioners must consider the financial
condition of all roads and establish just
and equitable rates." At the next re-
gplar session of the Legislature the Gov
ernor must appoint three commissioners,
who are to be confirmed by the Senate,
whose term of Office shall be four wears
from date, and whose main Office shall
be at Raleigh.
Mr.. PEARsoN's COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Bill.
This bill has been before the committee,
which has. through Mr.. York, made a
favorable report. It provides for the
commissioners and magistrates, to take
effect December 1, 1887. It vests all rights
and powers of the joint board in the
board of county commissioners. 1t pro-
vides for a popular election for county
commissioners in each county, to be held
the first Monday in November, 1888. 1t
provides that the county commissioners
80 elected shall give bonds, the penalties
thereof to be one-fifth of the tax levied
for county purposes in the fiscal year
preceding the fling of such bonds. The
bonds are to be approved by the probate
judge of the county in which the bond is
given. Appeals to the Superior Court are
allowed. The act is to be in force only
after its ratification and approval by a
popular vote, to be taken on the first
Tuesday in November, 1887, in the re-
gular form prescribed for voting on con-
stitutional amendments.
The AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL
COLLEGE.
There has Leen great deal of earnest
and excellent work done to secure the
establishment of the Industrial School.
After two years effort it was secured,
after regular fight with the Board of
Agriculture. It would p-1sabIy have
been built by that board by midsummer.
But the two farmers conventions met
and put matters concerning the board in
a new light. They demanded the esta-
blishment of an Agricultural College, to
be maintained by the sum in excess of
the actual needs of the Department of
Agriculture and the 81 800 which now
goes to the University rs the interest on
the land scrip. At the farmers conven-
tions the promoters of the industrial
school and the farmers quickly came to-
gether and "pooled their issues;" in other
words they saw that an agricultural col
lege would be of little value without a
department of mechanics. The two go
together naturally in these days. So it(
was that the "North Carolina College OF
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts" was
agreed upon. It will be on the model of
the best of those institutions in the coun-
try and it may be said now that the esta-
blishment of the college is practically
certain. The bill has been presented and
is being considered jointly by the House
committee on Education and Agriculture.
Those committees have had the benefit
of much valuable advice and info1ma.
ton. Last night both committees and
the special committees of the farmers
met together. The general
public also heard the discussion Of what
is certainly a very important subject
Mr.. Leazer presided and Senator Penn
berton was secretary. Mr.. w. S. Prim
rose, thoroughly practical and well in
formed man, Che was the able president
of the State Exposition) was called on
and spoke warmly in favor ofthe project. |
He said the agricultural and mechanic |
arts unite naturally together. He had
made careful calculations and had found |
that the cost of establishing the Agricul. |
tural and Mechanical College would
approximate $50, 900, and that its yearly |
cost would be $4,000, though the latter |
could be reduced somewhat. There is
: s'S-AAesHAS NV oOOuI 9SOJOOO, lAUCu OI II |
in cash subscribed by Raleigh. The de.
partment of agriculture was formerly |
given all tie fund arising from the sale of |
fertilizer licenses, averaging $4,000,
it now gets a specific appropri. |
alton OF $4,000 annually This leaves a |
margin of$25,0 600 available, to be used. If
desired, for the maintenance of the pro- |
posed college and also of the bureau Of
labor statistics. The latter is practically |
certain of creation. It is practically de- |
manded by the Knights of Labor, and |
there is desire that Mr.. J. M. Brou9h-
ton, of this city, one of the leading mem
bers of that order in the country, be put
at the head of the new department
A GRAND PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT
Certainly the present Legislature is
doing grand thing in setting on foot the
scheme of development of the east by the
act aiding the State Board of Education
in constructing and completing canals and |
roads. Theaa canals and roada will form, /